Sandy Leinberg and Charley Hood were among the guests Thursday night at the first of a series of Music Industry Mixers at Ardent Studios. The event included musicians, producers, engineers and industry professionals as well as food from Central BBQ and drink from Schlafly beer.

Shoe lover Kenneth Edwards was on hand for the Sole Searchin Sneaker Convention.
Photos by Michael Donahue/ The Commercial Appeal

Alonzo Clarke (left) and Tyree Richards from De La Soles participated in the sneaker showcase.

Loften Davis had his eye on a pair of $800 Nike Foamposites at the Sole Searchin Sneaker Convention on Saturday at Minglewood Hall. He liked them because they were "something different," but he didn't buy the shoes because they didn't have them in his size.

"I just like to come here and get some shoes for my collection," said Loften, who said he owns 85 to 90 pairs. He only wears 10 of them, including the red Vans he had on at the show. He was searching for a pair of Concord Jordans.

The Sole Searchin Sneaker Convention included vendors, a deejay and hip-hop performers. The event is "just a place where anybody who is a shoe, sneaker enthusiast can come out, man, and just buy, sell, trade shoes," said Phillip McGee, an event co-sponsor along with Barrett Newsome.

Jeff Ousley, who was at the show, said, "I just got back from Afghanistan. I'm trying to catch up on the shoes."

It was too sandy and dirty to keep shoes clean, said Jeff, who wore "old steel-toed boots" while he was on tour in Afghanistan. "Now I'm back home, so it's time to buy some shoes."

Cabaret memories

"Rollin' on the River — Making Memories in Memphis" was the theme of this year's Les Passees Cabaret on Saturday night at the Tower Room in Clark Tower.

Almost 400 attended the Page Robbins Winter Gala on Saturday night at The Esplanade, said Herbie Krisle, executive director of the Page Robbins Adult Day Care Center in Collierville.

"It's our major fundraiser of the year," Herbie said. "We are an independent nonprofit organization that provides nonresidential care for folks with Alzheimer's disease and other forms of memory loss."

And, she said, "We charge less than it costs us to provide the care, so we subsidize what the client pays through fundraisers like (the Winter Gala)."

The evening included silent and live auctions. An online silent auction will run through Feb. 9. They won't have all the figures in until after the online auction, but Herbie hopes to raise more than $200,000 from the event.